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Title 50 — War and National Defense

Chapter 32 — Chemical and Biological Warfare Program

§ 1517. Immediate disposal when health or safety are endangered

Statutory text

Nothing contained in this section 1 [50 U.S.C. 1512, 1513–1515, 1517] shall be deemed to restrict the transportation or disposal of research quantities of any lethal chemical or any biological warfare agent, or to delay or prevent, in emergency situations either within or outside the United States, the immediate disposal together with any necessary associated transportation, of any lethal chemical or any biological warfare agent when compliance with the procedures and requirements of this section 1 would clearly endanger the health or safety of any person.

Footnotes

  1. 1 See References in Text note below.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Pub. L. 91–121 title IV § 409(g) · 83 Stat. 204

    Enacted · 50 U.S.C. § 1517

    (Pub. L. 91–121, title IV, § 409(g), as added Pub. L. 91–441, title V, § 506(b)(4), Oct. 7, 1970, 84 Stat. 912.)

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    (Pub. L. 91–121, title IV, § 409(g), as added Pub. L. 91–441, title V, § 506(b)(4), Oct. 7, 1970, 84 Stat. 912.)

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    Sec. 409. (a) The Secretary of Defense shall submit semiannual Chemical and biological warfare agents. Reports to Congress. reports to the Congress on or before January 31 and on or before July 31 of each year setting forth the amounts spent during the preceding six-month period for research, development, test and evaluation and procurement of all lethal and nonlethal chemical and biological agents. The Secretary shall include in each report a full explanation of each expenditure, including the purpose and the necessity therefor. (b) None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or Transportation of chemicals and open air testing. any other Act may be used for the transportation of any lethal chemical or any biological warfare agent to or from any military installation in the United States, or the open air testing of any such agent within the United States until the following procedures have been implemented: (1) the Secretary of Defense (hereafter referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) has determined that the transportation or testing proposed to be made is necessary in the interests of national security; (2) the Secretary has brought the particulars of the proposed transportation or testing to the attention of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, who in turn may direct the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service and other qualified persons to review such particulars with respect to any hazards to public health and safety which such transportation or testing may pose and to recommend what precautionary measures are necessary to protect the public health and safety; (3) the Secretary has implemented any precautionary measures recommended in accordance with paragraph (2) above (including, where practicable, the detoxification of any such agent, if such agent is to be transported to or from a military installation for disposal): Provided, however, That in the event the Secretary Presidential determination. finds the recommendation submitted by the Surgeon General would have the effect of preventing the proposed transportation or testing, the President may determine that overriding considerations of national security require such transportation or testing be conducted. Any transportation or testing conducted pursuant Report to Congress. to such a Presidential determination shall be carried out in the safest practicable manner, and the President shall report his determination and an explanation thereof to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as far in advance as practicable; and (4) the Secretary has provided notification that the transportation Notice to Congress and State Governor. or testing will take place, except where a Presidential deter-mination has been made: (A) to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at least 10 days before any such transportation will be commenced and at least 30 days before any such testing will be commenced; (B) to the Governor of any State through which such agents will be transported, such notification to be provided appropriately in advance of any such transportation. (c) (1) None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or any other Act may be used for the future deployment, or storage, or both, at any place outside the United States of— (A) any lethal chemical or any biological warfare agent, or (B) any delivery system specifically designed to disseminate any such agent, unless prior notice of such deployment or storage has been given to the Notification to Congress. country exercising jurisdiction over such place. In the case of any place outside the United States which is under the jurisdiction or control of the United States Government, no such action may be taken unless the Secretary gives prior notice of such action to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. As used “United States.” in this paragraph, the term “United States” means the several States and the District of Columbia. (2) None of the funds authorized by this Act or any other Act shall be used for the future testing, development, transportation, storage, or disposal of any lethal chemical or any biological warfare agent outside the United States if the Secretary of State, after appropriate notice by the Secretary whenever any such action is contemplated, determines that such testing, development, transportation, Report to Congress. storage, or disposal will violate international law. The Secretary of State shall report all determinations made by him under this paragraph to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to all appropriate international organizations, or organs thereof, in the event such report is required by treaty or other international agreement. (d) Unless otherwise indicated, as used in this section the term “United States” means the several States, the District of Columbia, and the territories and possessions of the United States. (e) After the effective date of this Act, the operation of this section, or any portion thereof, may be suspended by the President during the period of any war declared by Congress and during the period of any national emergency declared by Congress or by the President. (f) None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be used for the procurement of any delivery system specifically designed to disseminate any lethal chemical or any biological warfare agent, or for the procurement of any part or component of any such delivery system, unless the President shall certify to the Congress that such procurement is essential to the safety and security of the United States.

1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This section, referred to in text, means section 409 of Pub. L. 91–121. Subsecs. (b), (c) to (e), and (g) of section 409 of Pub. L. 91–121 are classified to sections 1512, 1513 to 1515, and 1517 of this title, respectively. Section 409(a) of Pub. L. 91–121 was classified to section 1511 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, § 1061(k), , 110 Stat. 443. Section 409(f) of Pub. L. 91–121 was classified to section 1516 of this title, prior to being eliminated upon the enactment of similar provisions by section 506(a) of Pub. L. 91–441.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definition of “United States”

For definition of “United States” as used in this section, see section 1514 of this title.

Credits

(Pub. L. 91–121, title IV, § 409(g), as added Pub. L. 91–441, title V, § 506(b)(4), , 84 Stat. 912.)

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